Everything To Know About The New Jeff Bezos-Backed Slate Pickup Truck

Not too long ago, Elon Musk promised a Tesla electric car that could cost in the ballpark of $25,000. That enticing idea is yet to materialize. Surprisingly, the dream of an "every man's electric car" will be fulfilled by fellow billionaire and space race rival, Jeff Bezos. Backed by the Amazon founder, Slate has today introduced an electric car that costs under $20,000 after federal EV credits are applied. Slate is not mincing words about who this car is built for, and what it actually delivers.

"We are building the affordable vehicle that has long been promised but never been delivered," Slate chief Chris Barman was quoted as saying. Ouch, Tesla! This is an unabashedly affordable car that stripped out a whole lot of amenities and gave it an analog makeover in 2025. It lacks an infotainment screen inside the cabin. The windows are manual. There are no ventilated seats, speakers, or rear bumpers. The barebones build won't even come with a coat of paint.

When you can't pick your best angle so you post them all. pic.twitter.com/cc8fDvJAWu

— Slate Auto (@slateauto) April 25, 2025

It is the antithesis of a proverbial tech-loaded Tesla EV. The company says the approach offers a wide scope of customization. The idea is to let customers pick exactly what they want, and save some dollars while at it. From dashboard screens, colorful LED lights, and speakers to a full-on SUV and fastback kit, users can extensively modify the exterior as well as the interiors to their liking. Enthusiasts can already reserve it for $50 refundable fee and expect it to ship next year.

The Slate electric pickup comes with a 52.7-kWh battery pack that is touted to offer 150 miles of mileage per charge, while an accessory 84.3-kWh battery pack takes the range figures to 240 miles. Charging is handled by the NACS port, while the onboard battery pack can handle Level 3 DC charging that can fill up an empty tank up to 80% in just about 30 minutes. Charging duties, at home, can be directly handled via the supplied cable that plugs into the regular 240-volt outlet. 

The company will separately sell CCS (Level 3) and J1772 (Level 2) charging kits via its online shop. Available in a single-motor rear-wheel drive (RWD) configuration, the Slate pickup offers a modest top speed of 90 mph, and accelerates from still to 60 mph in eight seconds. To put those numbers into perspective, Tesla's cheapest car, the new Model 3, can pull those acceleration figures in 2.9 seconds. The maximum payload capacity is 1,400 pounds, while the towing grunt stands at 1,000 pounds.

The people spoke. We built. Meet the radically simple, radically affordable Slate. Reserve yours at https://t.co/Y5RkOIFCRo pic.twitter.com/uvSZVpdkWv

— Slate Auto (@slateauto) April 25, 2025

On the safety front, Slate touts a 5-star USNCAP rating, alongside features such as up to eight airbags, keyless entry, collision warning, auto emergency braking, and electronic stability controls. As far as the styling goes, think of it as the poor man's Rivian, but smaller and funkier. Sales will be handled exclusively via Slate's own storefront, while test drive vehicles will be available next year. For servicing, the company has laid out a nationwide roadmap covering 2,500 locations across the country.

There are three design formats to pick from, over a dozen paintjob options, and an equal number of partial wrap and decal choices. Exterior upgrades include roof rack, rear and front bumpers, tire carrier, bed steps, and nine grill styling racks. Buyers can pick between 17-inch and 20-inch tires in nearly a dozen design and utility variations, and even more wheel styling options.

Inside the cabin, the customizability extends to the center console, seat cover, steering wheel, auxiliary buttons, dashboard, AC vent, and even the key fobs. For infotainment, users can pick between integrated dual speakers or go with the mount system that lets them use any portable Bluetooth speaker of their choice. At the heart of the car's customizability claims are what the company calls Slate Attach Points.

Another notable aspect is that Slate is only offering wrap kits, and not conventional paint coating. They start at $500 and can be applied by users if they have the patience and skills to pull it off. The upstart will offer three types of vehicle wrapping options and more than 100 accessorizing options to customers.

The company has even created a content hub called Slate U, where videos and training documents will be hosted for all automobile DIY enthusiasts. The overarching idea is to not only offer an electric car that goes from a two-seater truck to a five-person SUV, but also one that is deeply customizable, with cost-saving as its top priority.